Free flexing separable fastener



Sept. 18, 1945. L H. MORIN 2,385,021

FREE FLEXING SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed Sept. 10, 1945 INVENTOR BY 100/5 /7 fl/aem/ I Patentedsept. is, 1945 UNITED s'rATss PATENT mcs 2.385.021 FREE FLEXING BEPABABLE FASTENEB Louis H. Morin, Bronx, N. Y., animor of one-half to Davis Application September 10, 1843, Serial No. 501,832 9 Claims. (01. 24-205) This invention relates to separable fasteners of the type employing stringers having lnter-engagin: links or scoops adapted to :be coupled and uncoupled 'by sliders movable along the stringers. More particularly. the invention relates to stringers oi the kind defined, employing double action scoops having reduced mounting end portions and coupling end portions sharply tapered or bevelled to provide greeter flexibility and bending of the stringers in the diflerent uses thereof. The novel lectures oi the invention will he hest understood from the following description when token tonether with the accompanying drawing, in which certein embodiments oi the invention are disclosed, and in which the seperete psi-ts ere designoted in; suitable reference cherecters in each oi the views; one in which:

l is o. pies view, showing portions of two stringers my improved scoops thereon in coupled. relohonship.

his". 2 e. section on the line i -t of Fig. 1, showing only one oi the stringers; end

ti 3 is on end view of s scoop, for example,

at view looking in the direction of the nrrow t of F 13'. 23.

in the construction of fasteners oi the hind under considerutlon, it hes been the custom to form the mounting end portions or the scoop of s. thickness conforming substantially to the thickness oi the end portions thereof, aside irom projecting knoh like members which sometimes preveil at one side of the coupling end perticn oi the scoops.

With these scoop structures, e. limited iiemne end bending of the tape is permitted by reason oi the feet thet the mounting end Portions of the scoops, or in other words. that portion of the scoops wronged upon the stringer tapes would limit or check thehending or folding oi the tones. Furthermore, the structure or the coupling ends oi the scoops hes also limited to some degree this bending or folding of the tapes, even in scoops oi the double action type and kind, such as here oenernlly disclosed. Still further. conventionol types of stringers hove [been limited in the horirontel flexure oi the stringer in extending them around relatively sharp corners by reason of ahutmerit of the coupling ends of the actions and the relativel wide mounting end portions employed. In certain types and uses of fasteners, it is desirable to employ greater flexibility in the stringers to adapt the fastener for uses where relatively sharp bends or corners prevail in the articles in connection with which the fastener is employed, or where the iastener curvesin a horizontal plane around fairly sharp corners. To accomplish this result,-I construct the scoops of the stringers with narrow mounting end portions, thus producing a longer tape between the links or scoops at the stringer edges, and also provide sharply bevelled surfaces on the coupling end portions of the scoops which will facilitate a greater rocking of the scoops one upon the other when flexed either transversely or horizontally. In'hoth of these fissures, the narrower mounting end portions provide the necessary clearance for further relative movement oi the coupling portions oi the scoops one with respect to the other.

in illustrating one adaptation or my invention,

I have shown in the sccompsnoing chewing scoops scoops which have coupling end portions G of common construction on hoth upper and lower surfaces to provide universal coupling of the stringers one with respect to the other, so well as universel operation of sliders along the stringers in coupling and uncoupling the some.

The scoops e include mounting end portions 7, wronged upon the heads t of two stringer tunes 9, 9-42. As hath stringers are of the. some construction, the brief description oi one applies to both. 1

The coupling end portions 6 have suhstsntiolhr diamond shaped coupling ends it defined he oppositely bevelled surfaces Ii and it arranged on both upper and lower sides of the scoops. These bevelled surfaces iorrn at upper and lower sides oi the scoops substantially fist diamond shaped surfaces it. the greatest width of which is substsntially common to the width or the mounting ends I. The hevel surisces 12 will elso form at the outer end of the coupling head t s dismond surfsce it, note Fig. 3. l

The surfaces it are also in horizontal alinement with the upper and lower surfaces It of the mounting end portions i of the scoops, and are 1 spaced from the surfaces It by notches it, as

willcleerly appear in Fig. 3 oi the drawing.

The bevei surfaces liumte with the flat side surfaces ll of the scoops along the line 18, note Fig. 2, and centrally of this'line and of thescoop body are formed rounded knob like projections 18 end It on opposite surfaces of the scoop. The knobs It and it form male coupling portions adapted to enter female coupling portions, apertures or recesses 20' centrally of the diamond shaped; heads 6 and of-the wider portions of said scoops, as will clearly appear from a. consideration of Fig. 2 of the drawinz.

.In the usual comtruction of double action scenes common projecting members on opposed side surfaces thereof, said head having recesses adapted to. receive the projecting members on adjacent scoops of opposed stringers in coupling said stringers together, converging Walls of one scoop engaging corresponding walls of adjacent scoops of an opposed stringer, when said stringers are coupled, outer ends of said heads having conof said scoops providing between adjacent surfaces thereof tape lengths substantially equal to twice the width of each mounting end portion,

said scoops having coupling ends projecting beyond the tape edge, outer portions of said coupling ends having enlarged apertured heads and projecting coupling members for retaining coupled stringers against lateral and transverse separation, and the entirev inner portions of said coupling ends being reduced on opposite surfaces to provide spacings between said inner portions of adjacent scoops common to the spac ngs between said narrow mounting end portions.

5. In separaole fasteners employing stringers, each stringer having scoops spaced longitudinally of one edge thereof, the scoops having mounting and portions and coupling ends projecting beenlarged head at the end of said part, said part in its entirety being of a width equal to the width of the mounting end portion, said head having walls diverging outwardly from the end of said part forming male couplings on opposed surfaces ofthe scoop, the head and said part forming the coupling end portion of the scoop, other common male and female couplings on the coupling end of the scoop and in alinement with the tape edge, saidlast mentioned couplings in combination wth "said heads being adapted to secure coupled scoops of opposed stringers against lateral and transverse separation, and the outwardly flared walls of the head of each scoop being bevelled in the direction of upper and lower surfaces of the scoop.

8. In separable fastener stringers employ ng scoops spaced longitudinally of one edge of the tape of each stringer, each scoop comprising a narrow mounting end portion, a part projecting beyond and arranged adjacent the tape edge,-

an enlarged head at the end of said part, said I part in its entirety being of a width equal to the width of the mounting end portion, said head having walls diverging outwardly from the end of said part forming male couplings on opposed surfaces of the scoop, the head having walls con verging to outer ends thereof, the head and said part forming the coupling end portion of the 3 01111 the stringer edge, said ends having male and female counting portions whereby coupled stringare are retained against lateral and transverse separation, entire part of the coupling end and said mounting end portions being both narrower and materially less in width than the greatest width oi the male coupling portion, and the narrow structure of the mounting end porfion and said entire inner part of the coupling end of the scoops providing a spacing between opposed surfaces of adjacent scoops on the stringer substantially equal to twice the width of said mounting end portion of each scoop.

5. in separable fastener stringers employing scoops spaced longitudinally of one edge of the tape of each stringer, each scoop comprising a narrow mounting end portion, a part projecting beyond and arranged adjacent the tape edge, an enlarged head at the end of said part, said part in its entirew being or a width equal to the width of the mounting end portion, said head having wallsdiverging outwardly from the end of sa dv part forming male couplings on opposed surfaces of the scoop, the head and said part forming the coupling end portion of the scoop, other common x'nale and female couplings on the coupling end scoop, other common male and female couplings on the coupling end of the scoop and in alinement with the tape edge, said last mentioned couplings in combination with said heads bein 'adapted' to secure coupled scoops of opposed stringers against lateral and transverse separation, and the outwardly converging surfaces of the heads of said scoops in combination with said parts thereof forming recesses between said converging surfaces of the scoops of one stringer and said parts of the scoops of an opposed stringer providing free bending of coupled stringers;

9. In separable fastener stringers employing scoops spaced longitudinally of one edge of the tape of each stringer, each scoop comprising a narrow mounting end portion, a part projecting beyond and arranged adjacent the tape edge, an enlarged head at the end of said part, said part in its entirety being of a width equal to the width of the mounting end portion, said head having walls diverging outwardly from the end of said part forming male couplings on opposed surfaces of the scoop, the head having walls converging to outer ends thereof, said head being tapered in the direction of upper and lower surfaces, thereby providing a maximum thickness centrally of the head in alinement with the tape edge, the head and said part forming the coupling end portion of the scoop, other common male and female couplings 'on the coupling end of the scoop and in alinement with the tape edge, said last mentioned couplings in combination with said heads being adapted to secure coupled scoops oi opposed stringers against lateral and transverse separation, and the outwardly converging surfaces of the heads or said scoops in combination with said parts thereof 10mins recesses between said conversin surfaces 0! the 7 "scoops of one stringer and said parts or the scoops of an opposed stringer providing free bendingot coupled stringers.

y LOUIS H. MORIN. 

